Pilots (flight crew) of modern commercial aircraft operate increasingly complex aircraft in an increasingly complex airspace environment. In executing their flying duties, pilots utilize not only their flying skills but must also manage myriad information related to their flight as efficiently as possible. Generally, the management of information related to the flight entails utilizing a number of means for acquiring, utilizing, and redirecting graphical, aural, and textual information to and from the airplane's systems. For example, such means may include a number of cockpit (flight deck) displays, control panels, keyboard devices, cursor control devices, and voice/audio systems. However, as many of these devices are used for multiple, and sometimes coupled or associated functions, aircraft engineers and pilots are respectively challenged with (1) the task of designing an optimal configuration that simplifies the pilots' task of managing all aspects of their airplane's flight and (2) the task of efficiently flying the airplane utilizing the available flight deck tools. In other words, the two-fold problem presents the challenge of design optimization that imparts sufficient flexibility to allow the pilot to optimize flight task management without undue complexity.
In this regard, flight deck displays such as Navigation Displays (ND) and Multifunction Displays (MFD) may be used with a Flight Management Computer (FMC) and the Mode Control Panel (MCP) to plan and manage an airplane's flight path and performance from takeoff to landing. Feedback as to the performance of the airplane in relation to the pilots' commands may be available in a number of locations in the cockpit, and sometimes across multiple pages, including Navigation Displays (ND), Multifunction Displays (MFD), Primary Flight Displays (PFD), Mode Control Panels (MCP), Control Display Units (CDU), and Crew Alerting Displays.
For both aircraft design engineers and pilots, the challenge of optimizing the pilots' interaction with and feedback from the airplane systems is multifaceted. Examples abound. One facet of the challenge is providing multiple methods of accessing flight management information as such information may be available in multiple display pages and formats so as to simplify the pilots' tasks. Another facet of the challenge is related to quick access of flight information, thus reducing head-down time in the cockpit. A third aspect is consistency of the flight management interface over multiple functions so as to increase pilot familiarity, increase proficiency, reduce the need for recall, and reduce the need for retraining. As display sizes and the number of available displays are limited, a fourth aspect is the display of certain information or availability thereof without, for example, obstructing, obscuring, or otherwise impeding access to other information. A fifth aspect of this challenge is commanding the airplane with simple and efficient interactions with and feedback from the airplane systems using the available crew interfaces.
Some prior attempts to address the challenge have had limited results. For example, pull-down menus and dialog boxes such as those described in U.S. Pat. No. 6,633,810, entitled “Graphical System and Method for Defining Pilot Task, Patterns and Constraints,” have the drawback of covering important information on the active display requiring the pilot to remember or recall what is being obscured. Furthermore, information distributed across multiple pages can be difficult to find and review in the context of other relevant information. In addition, navigating from one page to another looking for the desired information requires knowledge or recall by pilots as to which page the information is located. Lastly, pop-up, balloon, or dialog boxes also may cover important information thus requiring further action by pilots to move the window to remove the obstruction.
Other examples such as U.S. Pat. No. 6,542,796, entitled “Methods and Apparatus for Integrating, Organizing, and Accessing Flight Planning and Other Data on Multifunction Cockpit Displays,” describe flight plans that are viewable through the use of scrolling devices and the use of tabs for switching between different displays of data. However, such provision of means to manage the displayed information have the drawback of crowding out the limited display real estate, presenting to pilots options they may not need, and requiring pilots to actively look for the tabs or the data that they need to perform the task at hand.
The extent to which pilot interaction with and feedback from an airplane's systems is optimized has a direct impact on reducing pilot workload, improving pilot efficiency, improving crew awareness, reducing head-down time, reducing the risk of error and confusion, and reducing training time. In addition, such optimization also may result in improved economic performance and improved ability to make changes to the airplane's flight path and performance, thus minimizing the potential for disruption to air traffic flow on the airplane's route or the airspace through which the airplane is flying. Thus, there is a need for a method, system, and apparatus that optimizes the pilot's interaction with multiple aspects of an airplane's flight path and performance information while minimizing the obstruction, obscuration, or impediment of access to any other information.